South Africa’s cheapest electric car, the big winners of the Chinese car takeover, and Cape Town’s new plan to fix a dangerous road

These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s transport industry this week.

Cape Town’s new plan to fix one of its most dangerous roads

The City of Cape Town wants to introduce a compulsory heavy vehicle stop on Kloof Nek Road to address the spate of recent accidents.

Kloof Nek Road runs from the city centre up Signal Hill and Lion’s Head towards Table Mountain, forming an important route that connects the CBD to Camp’s Bay.

Several accidents have occurred over the years where drivers have lost control of their vehicles while descending the hill, crashing into other cars until they come to a stop.

The biggest winners of the Chinese car takeover in South Africa

The rapid growth of Chinese brands in the automotive sector has been highly beneficial for some local vehicle and asset financiers.

Two of the leading examples of this are WesBank and Nedbank, which have seen considerable returns after shifting their perspective of Chinese brands from a potential threat to a possible opportunity.

WesBank has cited the rise of Chinese car brands in South Africa as a key opportunity and has secured partnerships with several foreign brands.

Say hello to the cheapest electric car in South Africa

The BYD Dolphin Surf has finally arrived in South Africa.

The Chinese hatchback is the cheapest electric vehicle in the country at just R339,900 – undercutting the previous title holder by R60,000.

It is available in two specifications with a battery capacity of up to 38.8kWh, giving it a range of 295km.

Ford is looking for these 5,387 Rangers in South Africa

Ford has issued a safety recall notice for the Ranger bakkie in South Africa, affecting 5,387 units.

The recall applies to specific model-year 2025 and 2026 units, and concerns a fault in the braking system.

Affected customers are advised to contact their preferred dealership, where the necessary repairs will be done at no additional cost.

More affordable GWM P300 bakkie launched in South Africa

GWM has added a more affordable option to the P300 bakkie series in South Africa called the SX.

The SX slots below the LS, LT, and LTD grades and serves as a replacement for the older P-Series SX models.

It is available in six specifications, and prices start at R414,950.